Okay.
Firstly, hi to all - I've already spotted some RS25 members (this is komm.zu.mir).
Secondly, I'm in dire need of a good body shop.
I'll give a quick run down of my situation...
My fiance hit a piece of road debris on 395N, just after the Lemmon Valley exit.
This nice bit of stuff tore through the right front wheel well, through the floor panel, through both inner and outer rocker panels, and out through the sideskirt and part of the door.
It's really, really nasty.
Here's the link to my RS25 post, if anyone's interested. The pics are down at the moment, but I can re-post them here later on (hopefully).
There's a tiny bit of colorful, appropriately censored language, but it's not all that bad..
http://www.rs25.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38707
I just got the car back after a good few weeks (it went in on the 28th, I believe), and I'm not happy.
I don't want to badmouth anyone, but I'm genuinely disappointed in the workmanship that's been performed on my car, not to mention the additional damage done to it..
Short story version
(RS25 follow-up thread is
http://www.rs25.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39686);
This car was sent to Pro Body & Frame on Mill & Bible Way, and has just been returned 12/16/05..
Upon getting into the car (as the passenger), I've found..
- a chip in the new door skin's paint (or the old skin's repaint) - rusting.
- there's still a draft coming from the floor - the insulation between the carpet and the floor pan wasn't replaced; neither was the whitish plastic trim
-hence the carpeting and trim underneath/next to the glove box isn't fitted well
- underside/middle of the glove box's door is all scratched up, to the point where it is visible from a normal seated position
- there're two loose, possibly cut bolts in the trim of the door (again, the bit by the side of the glove box), the nice little cosmetic covers for them are also MIA
- none of the fittings underneath the carpet by the bottom of the door frame/floor (rocker panel) have been replaced, just sectioned out, so the trim and carpet doesn't fit, and is loose as hell
- the car makes way more noise than it ever did when the damage had first happened (and the few days driving it afterwards). It sounds awful, like there's crap flapping around and rubbing together all over.
Basically, I feel it's been returned in worse shape than we left it, minus a hole.
I don't think I'm off my rocker when I say I feel it's been returned in a condition that is unacceptable..
In any case, hopefully some things will be resolved on Monday when I talk to Progressive.
I'd appreciate some opinions on good body shops that I can use as an alternative. Whether or not Progressive will accept my choice is unknown as of now..
I have read a few of the body threads (i.e.
http://www.seccs.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2483), so I will keep those shops in mind.
JC has cautioned me about possibly going to Lithia for the body work, as some members may have had bad experiences with them.
Can anyone give me a quick elaboration?
Thanks a million in advance (yes, I'm sappy),
Hilary